


Twas the Night Before Christmas

by skylandmountain



Category: The X-Files RPF
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-19 07:03:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13118556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skylandmountain/pseuds/skylandmountain
Summary: What happens when you've spent five months with someone and then suddenly you're sleeping alone.





	Twas the Night Before Christmas

Gillian kicks off the duvet with one frustrated whack of her foot.  
She's been home just over twenty four hours, she was shattered when she got into bed but now she's wide awake.

"fuck off jet lag i hate you" she mutters getting up and pacing around her bedroom.

She picks up her book, maybe if she reads she'll drop off to sleep.

She holds the book but doesn't open it, she's too restless to settle long enough to concentrate on anything. 

Sighing she lies back against the pillows, everytime she closes her eyes her mind is going at one hundred miles an hour thinking about the last five months. 

It's always difficult working solidly on such a long job and then going back to real life.

Leaving the crew and the people she'd worked with for so long and the fact she was saying goodbye to Scully for the last time added to the poignancy and made her insides churn. 

She had wanted to come home, she was so happy to feel her children in her arms again but it was hectic in London and she'd had no chance to unwind and process the enormity of her last scenes.  
Oscar and Felix were delirious to have her home which on top of the usual festive excitement had proven a bit too much and after very little sleep and a long flight her emotions were in tatters. 

She'd hidden in the bathroom and cried.

She'd told herself she would be fine after a good nights sleep which probably would be true if it hadn't so far eluded her.

She picks up her phone and looks through her Instagram story. 

She stares at David's face, she knows why she can't sleep. She misses him.

They'd spent the last five months supporting each other through endless hours of night shooting and long difficult days.

They'd laughed and cried with everyday that had passed, taking it in turns to pull each other through the rough bits.

She'd massaged his bad back when she saw him wince in pain and he'd brought her advil when her head hurt so much she thought she might throw up.

They'd fallen asleep on each other almost everyday, he'd teased her when she fucked up her lines and she'd laughed when he got grumpy for forgetting his.

Most of all she missed him next to her in bed, if he was here now he'd hold her until she fell asleep, he'd soothe her and calm her mind. 

She felt somehow incomplete. 

She's annoyed with herself, she shouldn't feel like this. She is capable and strong, she's never needed a man to hold her up but her need for David runs deep.

He gets her in everyway possible, he knows where she likes to be touched, he knows how to make her orgasm in minutes if he wants to and he knows her mind and how it works.  
There is no pretence when she's with him she has the freedom to be who she is with no explanation required.

She thinks about calling him but she doesn't.  
This is their relationship now, back to how it used to be, snatched nights in hotels when they happen to be in the same city at the same time.

She has to get used to the nights apart again.

It's easier in some ways when they don't get much time together, they have raw and intense sex, the physical desire is satisfied leaving little room for emotions to get in the way.

But spending so long together then leaving after almost half a year of intense physical and emotional connection is wrenching her heart out and threatening to crush it.

She doesn't notice her tears until they fall onto David's face. Wiping them off the screen she walks to the bathroom splashing her face with cold water.

David plays Gillian's video, he's played it six times already in the hour but everytime he turns it off he's afraid he'll forget her laugh.

He's heard her laugh almost every single day for five months and now his world seems empty and quiet.

It shouldn't do, he's gone to be with Tea and the kids for christmas and there's plenty of laughter but it's just not hers.

"You miss her don't you?" Tea says coming up behind him and giving his shoulder a gentle squeeze.

David nods " yeah, like crazy"

"Then call her" she says putting a mug of coffee down next to him.

David looks at the time, he can't call her now she'll be sleeping but he sends a message.

' i'm missing my daily back massage' he types and sends it expecting her to read it in the morning, and send him a cheeky reply.

He's surprised when his phone beeps almost immediately.

'I miss you' she'd replied.

David frowns, why is she awake, she's probably jet lagged he reasons.

' i miss your laugh, i miss you and why are you awake? he types back.

"I can't sleep" is her reply.

'you ok?'

'Not really'

'Do you want to talk?'

'Yes, can we Skype? I want to see you' she types.

David smiles, he wants to see her too.

"Hey you" David says as she lights up his screen.

His heart flips over, she's smiling but he notices the red rims around her eyes.  
It could be tiredness but he's seen this look before and it usually meant tears.

have you been crying?" his voice is deep, velvety and gentle.  
The voice that for the last five months had asked her everyday if she's ok.

She lowers her eyes and nods her head, she doesn't need to pretend with David. 

"Yeah, a little. I just miss everything, you know it's hard to adjust back to normal after"..... she trails off and takes a deep breath before finishing "being with you every day and nignt"

"Oh sweetie, i know" he says reaching out to touch her face on the screen.

And he does know. He understands completely.  
He's been carrying the same heaviness inside of him since she left the set and he finished up alone.

"I've watched your videos on repeat just to hear you laugh" he admits knowing that will make her laugh now.

On cue she gigggles "really?"

"Yep, Tea told me to call you. She was probably sick of my miserable mooning face" he laughs.

They've only been speaking for five minutes but already they are both laughing and finding comfort in each others presence.

"David, i don't know how to handle this, i don't think i can do it. I can't be away from you so long"

David can feel the knot growing tighter in his stomach, he physically aches for her.  
They should have anticipated this, they'd got so close, closer than ever before this season.

"Honey, listen to me, i'll see you in a few weeks and we'll talk. I promise you we'll work something out ok"

"Ok" she nods her blue eyes only just holding her tears.

"And in the meantime i'll skype you every night, we can talk everyday.  
Come on think of the fun we've had on the phone before" he winks thinking of the times they've had mind blowing phone sex.

As he is speaking he realises he's doing it just as much for him as he is her. He needs her.

She smiles " promise?" 

"Pinky promise" he says waggling his little finger. 

"Dork" 

"I am but i'm your dork now get some sleep it's christmas day tomorrow and i want you to have fun. I'll stay right here until you fall asleep"

"Can you sing to me? Please" she whispers as she snuggles under the duvet.

"Sure honey, what do you want to hear?" he asks tenderly. He often sang to her if she couldn't sleep.

"The rain song" she says without hesitation.

Close your eyes" he says as he starts to sing 

"people just keep movin around tryin to find a place in the sun" 

He finishes the whole song even though he knows she fell asleep in the first verse.

He looks at her sleeping for the longest time. 

She'd stolen his heart twenty five years ago standing in the freezing cold and pouring rain and she still had it now. She had all of him. 

"Merry Christmas baby i love you" he whispers.


End file.
